Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-03


Jupiter, and Uranus are evening stars !;
Saturn, Mercury, Neptune, and Mars
are morning stars.
The right ascension of Mars on the
LIST is 5h. 27m., his declination is 23o
IL north, his diameter is A., and he is
in the constellation Taurus.
Mars rises on the 1st at 3 o'clock in
the morning; on the 3lst he rises
about half-past 2 o'clock.
THE NOON.
The July moon fills on the 9TH at 3h.
Sam. A. NJ. Our satellite pays no at
tention to the planets until the 10Th,
when at Oh. 13m. A. NJ. she is in CON
junction with Neptune, being 30 80
south. On the 18th, at 1lh. 3lm. T..
NJ, she ia in conjunction with Mars,
being A. 49, south. On the 10Th, just
before her change, the moon is in con-
junction with Saturn at Oh. en-. Z. NJ,
being g 10' south. On the Dist, soon
after new moon, she is in conjunction
with Mercury at Oh. On. i. NJ, being
3 40' north. The most beautiful con-
junction of the month will occur on
the 23d, when the three days-old cres-
cent makes her nearest approach to
Venus at l0h. 4Sm. p. NJ, the moon at
the time being 3 8 north of the planet.
On the 25th, at Oh. 4Sm. p. NJ, the
moon is in conjunction with Uranus,
being g So north. She completes the
planetary circuit on the Goth, at 10h.
JSm. Z. NJ, by being at her nearest
point to Jupiter, when she will be 3
80 north of the prince OF planets.
THE BUN.
Although the heat increases, while
The earth radiates less heat at night
than she receives during the day, it is
nono the less mournful fact that the
sun has turned his smiling face from
our belt of earthly territory and is
steadily making his way southwark.
The decreasing length of the days gives
full proof Of this fact. On the LIST the
sun rises at Al. 13m. A. NJ. and sets at
7h. 24m. u. NJ, making the length OF
the day 15h. lin. On the 3lst the sun
riees at 4h. 3Sm. A. NJ. and sets at 7h.
I'm. F. NJ, making the length of the
day 14h. 27m. The decrease in the
length Of the day during the month is
therefore Am; in the morning the de-
crease is 25m., and in the evening it is
Ism.
The suns declination on the 1st is
% g. north. On the 31st it is 18o IS
north, showing a decrease of A. 81
during the month, and decrease from
the maximum of northern declination
Of 3 u.
THE Sun IL APOGEE.
On the Cd, at O'Clock in the morn
ing, the sun is i'll apogee, or, which
means the same thing, the earth is in
aphelion. The earth then reaches that
point III her orbit when she is ut the
greatest distance from the sun. She is
now, in round numbers. 5000, 600
miles farther from the sun than she was
on the 2d of January when in peri
helion. Why, then, do We not have
the coolest weather when the sun is
farthCst away? 1t is because the SUI s
rays fall perpendiculally upon the earth
il midsummer and obliquely in mid
winter; the intensity Of the heat far
OvtTbalancing the difference in the
distance. The heat is doubtless tenn
pcrCd by the greater distance of the
central fire, and the northern temperate
zone is greatly favored i'll this respect.
j he sun appears smaller when he is in
apogee, for his actual diameter for
every day in the year is recorded in the
American Ephemeris.
The diameter of the sun is 81 80"
when in apogee or at his greatest dis
lance from the earth, as is the case on
the %. The diameter Of Che sun was
81 3G" when in perigoc, or 1T his least
distance from the earth, as was the case
on January 2d. The difference be-
tween the greatest and least diameter
Of the sun is L A., which. though it
seem small, is equal to 5000, 900 miles
in linear measurement.
Thus the starlit evenings OF July will
be full of beauty for those who delight
TO study the wonders Of the heavens.
The peerless Venus, fhirest of the stars,
will reach her greatest distance east
ward from the sun, while she shines
like a young moon in the glowing west.
The lordly Jupiter will look down from
the meridian at sunset and tread with
starry feet his western path until at
midnight he sinks below the horizon.
The ring girdled Saturn, hidden from
mortal sight, will pass beyond the sun
and commence his course as morning
star. Mercury, on winged feet, will,
like Venus, reach his eastern limit and
with Lurrying pace pass between as
and the sun to Join the choir OF morn
ing stars in heavenly harmony.
These are the movements OF some of
our brother worlds, members like IT.
selves OF the suns family, They are
but notes in the sunbeam, grains of
sand on the seashore where we compare
them with the immensity of the mate
rial universe. as gloriously pictured in
the suns Of space that track their shining
way in myriad hosts over the broad
cCncaye OF the heavens. Studies of
the planets forever on the move and
studies of the stars so fixed and immu-
table can not help ennobling and up:
hitting tho seal .------------------''' ----'--
As an absolute authority on the move
mcnts of the planets the J0arndt has
long been recognized. 1t is therefore
amusing to have. some other papers
claim to have discovered new and
brilliant star somewhere in the north
west corner Of the heavens and Identify
i. with the "Star of Bethlehem"
Eeportorial astronomy has not yet been
reduced to the nature of science, and
this last effort will by no means in
crease respect for such. The announce
ments made in the journal will con-
tinue to lie founded on G0ta as reliable
as the planet Venus is brilliant.
Eeiie of Bourbon W.itshey.
Duuug the years lS70-'S0 The whisky
irade experienced most phenomenal
bocm, in consequence OF which nearly
Cytjy distl,r not only worked his
plant 10 the utmost extent, but
made considerable addition. As re.
suit disiilrrs were suddenly confronted
with a giutted market. To avoid paying
the Government faxes which would fall